Sometimes I forget that my bargain hunting inclination is unnatural to most guys. Its easy to forget because most of my friends are bargain conscious. But what people forget about why some people go for bargains, cheap quality gear, and such economic considerations is that everyone else has bigger priorities.
First of all, its a Hobby. It is far far down the list of priorities such as Cost of Living, Health-Medicine, Friends and Family. The last thing I want is a conflict of interest, which is a stumbling block a lot of people fall into with an expensive hobby.
I had a long post about Conflict of Interests in my other blog, particularly in this matter. It began with my policy that I am not selling things to friends at a profit, its basically an act where I buy it for them, with me taking the effort, contributing the cash and time for the action. I don’t want to support my hobby by passing the cost off to friends. If I want a patron-merchant relationship, I will do so with other people. The last thing I want is people to think, I’m their friend because I get a monetary benefit from them. The utility of friendship: company, security, common interest, someone to trust, etc… should be never given a monetary anchor point.
I know my priorities, and the cost for having a patch of a particular Historical Thread Count is not something I am willing to pay for. In historical Re-enactment, Standards of authenticity such as Thread Count and Shade or Tinge, doesn’t sit well for me. Especially when the cost is 3-x4 more and it doesn’t help local economy (when you order abroad instead of helping out the local struggling merchants here).
If the authenticity requires special optical equipment to ascertain, I think such level of detail is best reserved for people who can easily afford it. At that level of detail, even if I could easily afford it, given my priorities with such extra cash I’d rather start a small business and employ and empower people than fiddle with Historical Accuracy of a Reproduction.
In the bottom line, if all the extra cost adds up and I could have paid for someone’s tuition, loaned the money for someone to start a food stall, bought shares for my unborn child, etc… I’d feel guilty (as I think a normal person who is very aware of their economic substitution options should be).
More on the Topic Can be found in Dan Ariely’s behavioral economics book: Predictably irrational . Behavioral Economics and Psychology, focusing on cognitions is the science that explains the irrational tendencies that influence the decision making of people. The science covers cognitive bias, logical/argumentative fallacies, and game theory. In the Chapter 4 the Cost of Social Norms, explains how positive and negative associations in various relationships lead to our approach to social situations.
Precursor to this modern and Scientific concepts is the Confucian understanding of reciprocal relationships. Particularly the multiple kinds of relationships we engender among the many roles we carry and how we try to manage each.
Also, on another matter that is related and helps sort this thing out is Emotional Intelligence and Critical Decision making books (focusing again in optimal decision making), particularly skills and checklists that prevent us from making preventable mistakes.
No get-rich schemes are being promoted, as I recommend the science and remind the reader to double check sources and view it with vigilant and practiced skepticism.
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